Zahangir now a potential spoiler for 3 AL picks

He is not in the election race, and yet he has emerged as an "X-factor" in the polls to three parliamentary constituencies in Gazipur.

Former Gazpiur mayor Zahangir Alam, who backed his mother to get elected to the office of the city mayor in May last year by opposing the Awami League's picks, is now throwing his weight behind three independents.

Zahangir started campaigning for Md Rezaul Karim in Gazipur-1, Kazi Alim Uddin in Gazipur-2, and Akhteruzzaman in Gazipur-5 after the allocation of electoral symbols on December 17.

The following day, Zahangir was seen at a campaign rally at the Rajbari ground adjacent to the Gazipur deputy commissioner's office with the three MP candidates.

The AL nominees for the three seats are Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozzammel Haque, State Minister for Youth and Sports Zahid Ahsan Russel, and former state minister for women and children affairs Meher Afroz Chumki.

"The electoral race in Gazipur had been mundane until Zahangir hit the campaign trail," said Rafiqul Islam, a tea stall owner in Kaliganj upazila.

Local AL leaders said Zahangir has strong control over the AL grassroots and junior party leaders. He is also popular among the voters in Gazipur City Corporation area.

The former mayor carried out charity and development work which enabled him to build a "voter base" in Gazipur. He brought many leaders and activists of the AL and several other political parties into his fold.

Zahangir is also popular among the readymade garment workers, whose votes can be a deciding factor in the polls.

Wishing not to be named, a top district AL leader said, "Though Zahangir Alam was suspended from the Awami League, we cannot deny that he enjoys people's trust and he has a positive image among the voters."

Expressing similar views, a good number of voters told The Daily Star that the AL candidates would not have an easy sailing in three constituencies as they would face strong challenge from the independents backed by Zahangir.

AL candidates said they were "disturbed" by Zahangir's move. They also targetedthe former mayor rather than their rival candidates.

"Zahangir always opposes the party candidates. I am not calling him a rival, but I am speaking against someone who is patronising independent aspirants. His role is to find out rebel candidates and field them not only in my constituency but also in other seats," Zahid Ahsan Russel, the AL candidate in Gazipur-2, said at a campaign rally.

"Since he has black money, he believes he can do whatever he wants to," he added.

However, Zahangir during campaigning told reporters that he was supporting the independents to "protect the AL vote bank".

Zahnagir was elected Gazipur mayor in 2018 on the AL's ticket. He was expelled from the party on November 19, 2021, over making derogatory remarks about Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and expressing doubts about the number of martyrs in the Liberation War.

He was suspended from the post of general secretary of Gazipur city AL.

Russell and Gazipur city AL President Azmat Ullah Khan allegedly played a key role in the suspension of Zahangir. Many believe Zahangir is backing the independents in retaliation, said locals.

The AL withdrew the expulsion order on January 21 last year.

In May, the AL Central Executive Committee again expelled him from the party for collecting nomination form to run for Gazipur city mayor violating the party's decision.

He was reinstated in the AL in October last year on the condition that he will not engage in any activities that go against the party's interest and organisational discipline in future.

Meanwhile, voters in Gazipur-3 said AL nominee Rumana Ali would face a challenge from independent aspirant Iqbal Hossain Sabuj, an incumbent MP from the ruling party.

In Gazipur-4, AL candidate Simeen Hussain Rimi may secure an easy win as her rival, independent candidate Alam Ahmed, also a ruling party leader, lackspopularity, according to locals.